Display case



Feb. 16, 1932. ZELENKA 1,845,385

DI SPLAY CASE Filed April 6, 1931 :59 portion Patented Feb. 16, 1932 i f 1 UNITED PATENT 'o F'ic i ERNEST ZELENK.A,': or o'r'rroneo; ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T THEVDAEMICKE COMPANY, YOF'CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A GORPORA'IION'OF :ILLINoIs" I v a D SPLAY CASUE g V I v Application A m i1 6,

'My invention relates to acounter ordisplay case more particularly intended for perk ishable food articles," such asmeat-a'nd the like, and especially ofthe refrigerator type provided at the rear side with suitable closure members or panels arranged to permit easy access'to the variousarticlesin the-case.

- The invention has for its'object' the provi M sion of a construction whereby" the closure members or "door-panels are" arranged to easily slide a vertical direction, while at the same time belng held in morexor'less non-'1 air admitting relation, while at the same time M arranging or mountingthe' sliding panels to permit the same to be easily removed for purposes of cleaning or when occasions "should r'equire,=and also ,enable'the respective panels to be readily inserted in place. 7

r -7 The objects and advantages of my invention will be readily comprehendedfrom the followingdetailed description ofthe accompanying drawings, wherein: 7 t Figure 1 is 'a'transverse sectlonal view of a display case with myeinvention'.

of the sliding panel'or closure member;

Figure 3 is a detail perspective viewof the upper forward portion' of the case' frame. Figure 4; is a detail perspective view of a of the rearupper 'portion ot the frame. I i, a My invention involves the method of mounting the upwardly sliding closure mempe'rs or panels otadisplay case, usually mounted on a suitable counteror supporting structure. 7 Cases of this typeare usually of an elongated constructionf provided with a' suitable bottom 10; a;rearwardlyinclining front wall 11' and top wall-12v 1 j These walls consist of glass panels mounted in metallic frames 13, involving transversely arranged portions located at the ends and at suitable intermediate points throughout the length of the case, especially when the" case is of such'length as to require a number of doors or closure panels. l The framemembers may beof any suitable material, preferably metal, formedto provide the intermediate top portion 14 and the two downwardly sloping front-and re'ar -por- 1+igu're'2 is a perspective-viewot-a portion p or panels 23 are arranged to fit between the andi22a 1931. "seri nolszaoez; 5

1 portion 1 5.

The; frame members consisting of theitop and twos de portions are usually cast integral and kerted; as at 17 to provide suitable ledges for the "glass top and front side! flhe intermediate top portion 14 and'the rear SldB' portion .16,' on thesidefacesthereof, are formed with a channel orgroove 18 extending from the forward end of the top member Mfand thence downwardly to the bottom of the rearportion 16,"

' This continuous groove 18 terminates in the top portion-14: at the forward end in an arcuate closed end 19; and at a prearranged distance f'r'omthis closed end is provided with a socket 20, see Figure 3; while the down wardly sloping rearend at'a predetermined. distance from the upper horizontally disposed portiono-f the channel or groove 18 is 1 provided with a out away portion or slot 21 and at a prearranged clistance therefrom with --a socket 22, see Figure 4.

The frames of theslidingclosuremembers 7 opposing faces of two spaced apart transverse refrains members-Bee as to practically close the space or opening therebetween and y at the same timepermitting free sliding movement of the panel '28. Thel sidesof the panel frame 23, adjacent to the-upper and lower ends,-a-re provided with projecting pins or rollers, one of which is shown at 24; in Fig- 7 ure 2, which are arranged atfa prearranged s5 distance from the upper and lower ends of the panel in keeping with the prearranged lo cation and distancenbetween the sockets 20 That is to say, the distance between the o0 pinsor rollers 24:1 theeupper and lower ends ofthe doors or sliding panels 23 and between the socketsZQ and 22 is such that when the 7 panel is slid' upwardly into complete open positiong' the pin'24 at the upper end of-the panel will rest insocket 20 while the pin24= atthe lower end of the panel 23 will seat itself in the socket 22 and thus hold the panel" in 'openposition, as shown in dotted linesin Figure'l; When the panel is lowered in 'closed I00 or rollers adjacent the lower endof the panel to the extreme closed end 19; at which time out portion 21,.namely adjacent to the horizontal part of groove 18, as shown in Figure '1, while the pin or roller 24, at the lower end of the panel, is located at the bottom closed end of the grooves 18, as shown in full lines in Figure 1. v

The distance between the closed end 19 at the upper forward end of the groove 18 and the cut-out portion orslot 21 at least equals order to permit insertion and removal of the panel. That is to say, the distance between the end 19 of the groove'and the socket 20 s greater than the distance between the socket 22a'nd the cut-out portion 21 and also greater than the distance between the immediate upper end of the panel or door and the upper pins or rollers 24, thus permitting the pins or door to'be positioned in alignment" with the cut-out 21when the upper rollers 24 are moved forward of'the socket 20,'and the lower. end of the panelallowed to swing into the lower dotted line position, Figure -1.

In order to insert the panel 23 in place, the pins or rollers 24, adjacent to the upper ends of the panels, are first inserted into the grooves 18 throughthe cut-out portions or slots 21 and the panel then slid or moved upwardly along the horizontal part of groove 18 the pins or rollers 24, at the lower end of the panel, will be positioned for passage through the'cut-out portion or slot 21 into grooves 18.

After the lower pinshave been insertedinto the grooves18, as above described, the panel is then slid re'arwardly and downwardly into.

closed position.

To remove the sliding panel 23,the operation above described is reversed by sliding the panel upwardly and forwardly until the upper pins or rollers 24 are disposed at the forward ends 19 of the grooves 18, at which time the lower pins 24 will be positioned at the cut-out or slot 21 and permit the lower pins to pass through the cut-out 21 out'of the grooves 18;. The panelor'door is then slid rearwardly so as to position the upper pins or'ro-llers 24 opposite the out-out or slot 21, permitting the'enti-re panel to be removed.

As is apparent from the drawing, the pins 24, during normal operation of the panel or door, are at no time opposite to the cut-out or slot 21, as the upper pins or rollers 24 will be. in the sockets 2.0v and the lower pins 24 in the sockets 22 when thepanel is completely open; while the upper pins or rollers 24 will be at the juncture between the horizontal and downwardly sloping portions of the grooves l8with the lower pins or rollers 24 at the closed lower ends of the grooves .18

when the panel or door is in closed position, as shownin full lines in Figure 1.

These sliding panels must not only be mounted so as to be easily moved and so they will automatically ride to full closed position after being partially drawn down, but. they must be arranged so they can be easily removed in order to clean the interior of the cases and particularly the inside of the. glass top, which, as can be seen, is inac cessible whenthe panels are in open position. the distance between the pins or rollers 24 at the upper and lower ends of the panel 23,in

With my improved structure the panels or doors are more easily removed and put into place than; with structures as heretofore employed; and I realize that upwardly sliding panels in themselves have been employed,'but1the arrangement of the slideways are notof the simple/type disclosed in the.

drawings and described herein.

I VVhatIclaimis: Y I '1. In a display case-ofv the character described, transverse frame members each having a horizontal portion and adownwardly disposed-portion, both portions having a conmitting slot open at the side of the frame,

andJa closure panel provided with laterally extending pins adapted to-seat in the groove and slidingly hold'the panel in place.

2. In a display case of the character described, transversely arranged frame members 'each including atop horizontal portion and a downwardly sloping rear portion, both portions of each frame member on the side faces being provided with a continuous groove having closed ends; and. a closure panel provided 'on'itsside edges, adjacent to the top and bottom ends of the panel, with laterally extending pins adapted to extend into said groovesto slidingly hold the panel inplace; the groove in the downwardly sloping frame portion having a pin-admitting slot open at one side of the frame member and disposed at a distance from the closed end of the groove in the top portion substantially equal to the distance between the pin adjacent tothe; top and the pin adj aeent to the bottom of the panel.

pins adjacent to the upper end and the pins adjacent to the'lower end of the panel where? by the panel is held in raised position, while the groove in the downwardly extending por 7 tion of each frame member is provided with a slot open on one side of the frame member for passage of a pin therethrough, said 4. In a display case of the character'described, transversely arranged and spaced apart frame members each having a top horizontal portion and a downwardly sloping portion, a continuous groove having closed ends in the sides of each frame member and dlsposed lengthwise of said portions; and a panel adapted to fit between the opposing faces of two framemembers and having-laterally disposed pins adjacent to the upper and the lower ends thereof adapted to extend into said grooves and slidinglyhold the panel in place; said grooves in the downwardly sloping portions, in proximity to the juncture between the horizontal and down-h wardly sloping portions, having slots opening on one of the sides of the frame members for passage of the pins therethrough,-said I groove in each of said portions at a point removed from the closed end in the'horizontal portion and at a point beneath the slot in the downwardly disposed portion, having a pin-receiving socket whereby the panel is held in raised position.

' ERNEST ZELENKA; 

